Report: Raiders expected to sign QB EJ Manuel

The Raiders are expected to sign QB EJ Manuel to compete with Connor Cook for the backup job behind Derek Carr.

The Raiders are expected to sign QB EJ Manuel to compete with...

You have competition, Connor Cook.

The Raiders are expected to sign Bills quarterback EJ Manuel, who would compete for the backup job behind Derek Carr, ESPN reported. Manuel, the No. 16 pick in 2013, spent his second NFL season with Raiders offensive coordinator Todd Downing, who was his position coach in 2014.

The Raiders haven’t been expected to re-sign backup Matt McGloin, which will set the stage for Manuel to battle Cook for second-string status.

Last year, Cook, a rookie fourth-round pick, made his first career start in a wild-card loss at Houston after Carr broke his leg on Christmas Eve. Cook threw three interceptions and Oakland had a season-low 203 yards in the 27-14 defeat.

At the NFL combine, head coach Jack Del Rio said the Raiders could sign a player to push Cook.

“There’s always competition in this league,” Del Rio said. “I wouldn’t close the door there, either, and say that we wouldn’t make it competitive for him. He did a pretty solid job developing throughout the year.”

Manuel, who will turn 27 on Sunday, never realized expectations in Buffalo. He’s made 17 career starts, but just three in the past two seasons. His completion percentage (58.3) and passer rating (77.5) rank 40th and 38th, respectively, among the 42 quarterbacks with at least 500 attempts since 2013.